


An Honor and a Privilege

by clgfanfic



Category: War of the Worlds (TV)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-21
Updated: 2013-02-21
Packaged: 2017-12-03 03:47:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 906
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/693759
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/clgfanfic/pseuds/clgfanfic
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A missing scene from the episode "Rising of Lazarus."</p>
            </blockquote>





	An Honor and a Privilege

**Author's Note:**

> Originally published in the zine Green Floating Weirdness #13 under the pen name Laura Cathcart.

_"What brings you all the way out here?"_

 

          General Henry J. Wilson sat behind his desk, tapping the eraser end of a No. 2 pencil angrily against the desk blotter.  Who the hell was the Phoenix Mountain Project?  Why hadn't he been told that there were other organizations researching the alien problem?

          And since when could the President be so easily ignored? Granted, it was getting close to election year '92, but this went beyond partisan politics.  This was getting dangerously close to shadow governments…

          Just what he needed, another layer of deception and possible leaks.  Another entire group of politicians and military types who had their own agenda…

          And now they'd lost an entire facility, the alien, and the spacecraft.  Not that the radiation had stopped someone from going in and taking the craft to God-knew where for God-knew what purpose.

          He shook his head.  No, he knew.  Colonel Alexander wasn't the Phoenix Mountain Project.  There were others.  And they went in and took the craft.  It was probably sitting in a protected hanger in Area 51.  Damn the Air Force anyway.  Damned Groom Lake lackeys again…  Just who the hell did they think they were?

          Competition.

          He slammed the pencil down and stood, pacing across his office.  _Damn the paranoia, not the Air Force_ , he reconsidered.  There were perfectly good reasons for the veil of secrecy that was dropped over the alien problem back in '47.  And when the '53 war was over and no one remembered, it made sense for governments to go along with the silence.  But now they were paying the price.  Secrets, secret organizations, secret departments in the government and the military… it had gotten out of hand.

          And what could they do?

          Nothing.

          He returned to his desk and stared down at the small box that rested on one corner.  At least one good thing had come of the incident.  The Joint Chiefs had seen clear to push the promotion through.

          He reached out and picked up the small box, slipping it into his jacket pocket.  He'd deliver them in person.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Ironhorse stood just behind Norton, watching him hack his way into the Phoenix Mountain Project computers.  Drake was a genius, but there was no reason to tell him so and run the risk of an ego-attack.

          "Got it!" the hacker announced triumphantly.

          "Great," Paul almost growled.  "Download everything, then get out.  I don't want them to know we broke their security."

          "I'm on it, Big Guy," Norton assured.  "Then what?"

          "Then we find out what they know, and how they found out," Ironhorse said.  "Then we go get what we want."

          "I like a man who knows what he wants," Norton quipped.

          The elevator doors opened and Harrison stepped out to join them.  "Just got a call from the front gate.  General Wilson's here."

          Ironhorse's head snapped up.  "Here?"

          Blackwood grinned, enjoying Paul's flash of panic.  "Yep.  I wonder what he wants…?"

          "I have no idea, Doctor," Ironhorse hedged, silently praying that Norton hadn't tripped any hidden alarms while he was infiltrating their competition's computers.  "Why don't we go ask him?"

          "I'll be up as soon as I can," Norton said, watching the two men leave.

 

* ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ * ~ *

 

          Blackwood and Ironhorse found the General in the Cottage living room, talking with Suzanne and Debi while they tried to entice him into staying for supper.  It appeared to be an easy sell.

          Wilson glanced up as the two men entered.  "Colonel, Dr. Blackwood," he greeted.

          "General," they replied in unison.

          "Is there something wrong?" Ironhorse asked.

          "No, Colonel," the older man reassured.  "Nothing that we aren't already aware of."

          "Then we can call this a social visit?" Harrison ventured.

          "No, Doctor, not entirely."

          The general paused as Norton rolled in to join them.  Glancing at Ironhorse, the hacker smiled.  "That project's all taken care of, Colonel."

          "Thank you, Mr. Drake," Paul replied.  "We'll look over the results in the morning."

          "Fine by me," was Drake's reply.

          "So, Uncle Hank," Suzanne said, picking up, "if it's not trouble or a visit, what brings you all the way out here?"

          Wilson stood and walked over to the snapping fireplace.  He paused a moment, enjoying the play of light and the warmth.  "I came to deliver some news to Colonel Ironhorse," he explained, his hand dipping into his jacket pocket.  He removed the small box and extended it to Paul.

          Ironhorse took the gift, his eyebrows climbing.  "Sir?" he questioned.

          "Open it," Wilson suggested in lieu of an explanation.

          Doing as he'd been ordered, Ironhorse lifted the lid and uncovered two silver eagles.

          "Paul, it's an honor and a privilege to inform you that you've been promoted to the rank of Colonel.  Congratulations."

          The other Project members erupted.

          "Cool!" Debi pronounced.

          "Congratulations," Suzanne echoed her uncle.

          "Way to go, Big Guy.  It's about time."

          "Well deserved," Harrison tossed in.

          Ironhorse studied the silver eagles for a moment, wishing he'd had them when Alexander had shown up in Wisconsin.  He glanced up at Wilson.  "Thank you, sir, but you didn't have to come all this way—"

          "I wanted to, Paul.  The paperwork will clear and you should be able to put them on by Christmas."

          "I appreciate it," Ironhorse said.

          "It was the least I could do, given what you're doing for this nation, Colonel."

          They all saw the blush that deepened the shadows on Paul's face and turned his ears scarlet.  "Thank you, sir."


End file.
